Sports

Navy remains unbeaten  in MTC NNPL, Correctional title under threat

  • July 19, 2024

• By Michael Uugwanga

NAMIBIAN Navy remains unbeaten in this season’s MTC Namibia Netball Premier League (NNPL ), despite them being in second place with 22 points on the log with a game in hand. Defending champions, Namibian Correctional Service is still in the top spot, with 22 points.

Namibian Correctional Service is at the top because of their better goal difference of 285 compared to the Navy’s 134.  Namibian Correctional Service lost once, against the Navy in Otjiwarongo last month on 30 June, with the Navy winning the match 40-38.

The defeat for Namibian Correctional Service against the Navy came barely a day when Correctional crushed the 2022 MTC/NNPL Champions Mighty Gunners into pieces with a score line of 40-28 on 29 June.

Navy is home to national team top shooter Anna Kasper, who is still searching for her first MTC NNPL title.  Mighty Gunners have 15 points but have already lost three times, unlike them, a side that hardly loses many matches in a season but has the same number of points as fourth-place team Wanderers, who also have 15 points.

The past weekend saw the defending champions Namibian Correctional Service cruising to a 53-34 win over Wanderers on 13 July, with Correctional player Elmarien Hoeses picking up the MTC NNPL player of the match plus a cheque amounting to N$1000. Tigers, who were so close to clinching the title in 2021, are currently occupying fifth place with 13 points, UNAM Ogongo in sixth place with also 13 points, Afrocat Lions have 12 points in seventh position and Otjozondjupa NamPol on 10 ten points in eighth-place.

The four teams fighting for their lives are UNAM Jaquar, a newly promoted side coached by former Desert Jewels (senior team) player Augusta Sethie, have eight points to put in ninth position; Eastern Chiefs from the Kavango East and another new team in the league are in 10th position with also eight points, Young Stars regular participants have two points in 11th place and bottom of the table. Also, another new kid on the block, Tsumeb, is in 12th place and is still searching for their first point in the division.

The league has received a huge financial injection from MTC, who has increased the sponsorship money from N$1, 9 million to N$2,5 million, including players’ monthly salaries to cover the team’s travel allowances and many more.